- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russian forces of blocking humanitarian aid local cities so they can "humiliate our people."
- Russian forces "have already created a humanitarian catastrophe," Zelenskyy said.
- "But for them, it is part of the plan," the Ukrainian president added in a Thursday video message.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday accused Russia of blocking humanitarian aid to besieged cities in Ukraine so Russian forces can "humiliate our people."
Russia's invasion of Ukraine entered its 15th day on Thursday and Zelenskyy said in Thursday's video address that "Russian troops have already created a humanitarian catastrophe" in the eastern European country.
"But for them, it is part of the plan. They want to humiliate our people," Zelenskyy said. "Make them take bread and water from the hands of the invaders standing on their knees, so that Ukrainians can save their lives just by going to the occupied territories or to Russia."
Zelenskyy said the reason why Russian forces have blocked several Ukrainian cities, including Mariupol and Volnovakha, is to cut off supplies of food, medicine and water.
"Monsters," Zelenskyy called the Russian invaders.
Meanwhile, Zelenskyy said in the video message that the government of Ukraine was "once again providing humanitarian corridors for our cities."
"The buses have already departed, the trucks are already on their way —with food, water, medicine," Zelenskyy explained as he named the cities of Mariupol, Volnovakha, Izyum, and Sumy.
He added, forcefully, "My heart is broken by what the invaders did to our cities, to our state. And by what they want to do to our people who need urgent help."
The Ukrainian president said that more than 60,000 locals "were rescued" over the last day from cities under Russian siege.
"We all have been defending our state for the 15th day. We endured. The Ukrainian army is repelling attacks in key directions," Zelenskyy said.
He vowed, "After the war, after our victory, we will rebuild everything that was destroyed."
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has already left hundreds of Ukrainian civilians, including children, dead.
The UN human rights office said on Thursday that at least 549 civilians had been killed in Ukraine since Russia launched its attack on the country on February 24.
However, the UN human rights office said it believes the real death toll is "considerably higher."
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